Explore
the Possibilities: Getting to Know our Oceans

A few years
ago, on the shores of Monterey Bay, the National Ocean Conference raised
America's awareness of ocean issues, the need for a renewed ocean policy,
and to remind us that the oceans are truly an unknown realm. From the
Conference, a Presidential Panel was created to define a national strategy
on ocean exploration, and from this Panel, came the NOAA Ocean Exploration
Program. Built on the foundations of the National Marine Sanctuary System
and the activities of the National Undersea Research Program, the Ocean
Exploration Program of NOAA has embarked upon a renewed examination of
the oceans, driven by the application of recently developed technonology
to new areas, and the development of new technology. Without fully understanding
our oceans, our performance as stewards for the rich inherited resources
of the sea is compromised.

Hyperspectral
Remote Sensing of Optically Shallow Waters

Remote sensing
provides an extremely useful tool for spatial analysis of ecosystem processes.
The complex and variable nature of coastal waters, however, creates problems
for the remote sensing analysis of shallow submerged habitats. A new generation
of imaging spectrometers can now deliver the resolution (1 to 3 m spatial,
5 to 15 nm spectral) necessary to study important ecosystem processes
in critical nearshore environments across scales of meters to km. The
continuous spectral data sets provided by this new technology permits
the application of physically based spectroscopic approaches to the analysis
of remote sensing imagery. We are developing algorithms to identify submerged
plant communities and quantify their abundance in optically shallow waters
from data sets produced by the airborne imaging spectrometers PHILLS and
HyMAP. Effects of depth and suspended water column components (e.g. phytoplankton,
sediment) on algorithm accuracy are being explored using both numerical
simulation and field observations. Strong infrared signals from floating
surface canopies may be useful to assess age structure and productivity
of giant kelp forests, helping to identify important changes in environmental
quality across time and space. We are testing the ability of these algorithms
to detect changes in the distribution and productivity of submerged habitats
in the Bahamas and in Monterey Bay.

Marine
Technology Careers: The Best Kept Secret of Today's Workforce

Every year
the ocean attracts and inspires thousands of students to pursue degrees
in marine science. Yet with all the attention paid to the oceans, students
often lack the information needed to make wise decisions about choosing
an ocean-related career. In particular, students often overlook marine
technology careers even though these careers provide a variety of gainful
employment opportunities. There are a variety of reasons for this problem.
First, education programs do not necessarily reflect current trends in
research and industry such as multidisciplinary approaches where technology
plays a key role; second, many students don't receive adequate career
guidance and counseling while in school; and third, many marine technology
occupations are not recognized by the Department of Labor therefore information
is not readily available to students and educators searching career databases.

Following
large open ocean animals has always been challenging. The recent development
of data logging or satellite transmitting electronic tags, has enabled
investigators to describe patterns of movement and behavior of marine
vertebrates (tunas, billfish and sharks) and large squid in the North
Pacific. Archival and Satellite tags are providing the new tools necessary
to address fundamental questions in biological oceanography concerning
the distribution, behavior and critical habitats of pelagic organisms.
Tag-bearing animals have been used as autonomous ocean profilers to provide
oceanographic data in key ocean regions. When the biological and physical
data are merged a new understanding of the relationship between the movements
and behaviors of marine organisms and oceanographic processes is apparent.
The new animal-collected oceanic data will complement more traditional
methodologies for assimilation into oceanographic models. The temporal
and spatial data generated by the data provide an "organism-eye"
view and detailed understanding of how marine animals from several trophic
levels use oceanic ecosystems.

Saturday,
March 9—Session II

Measuring
Bioluminescence in Monterey Bay

Many organisms
in the ocean are able to produce light. In some cases, the mechanisms
and chemistry are well understood, but there are still many unanswered
questions about when, where, and how bioluminescence occurs. With my collaborators,
I have been using autonomous underwater vehicles to map the three-dimensional
distribution of luminous organisms in Monterey Bay. By observing how phytoplankton
(plants) and zooplankton (animals) vary over time and space, we can begin
to understand the cycles which regulate their abundance, and we can predict
blooms and die-offs. The ultimate goal is to answer the vexing questions
surrounding why bioluminescence is so important to a variety of creatures.

Recent
Advances in the Sanctuary Shoreline

Dr. Bruce Richmond, Geologist, U.S. Geological Survey

Early maps
of the Sanctuary shoreline were produced by labor intensive field mapping
techniques using optical instruments. The maps took years to produce and
are of variable accuracy. Topographic maps produced in the mid- to late-
1900's utilized photogrammetric techniques applied to vertical aerial
photographs. These maps displayed contours of land elevation and shoreline
position and are generally accurate to about 10m. Recent advances in airborne
laser altimetry have resulted in detailed maps of the Sanctuary shoreline
with horizontal and vertical resolution better than 1m. As part of an
effort to examine the coastal impacts of the 1997-98 El Niño event, the
Sanctuary shoreline was mapped by laser altimetry in October, 1997 and
April 1998.

Fleet
Numerical—Traditional and Non-Traditional Applications of Information
Technology or "You are a Military Organization and You are Doing
What?"

Fleet Numerical
Meteorology and Oceanography Center, located in Monterey CA, combines
the latest in atmospheric and ocean sciences with state of the art information
technology to provide data, information, and services to forces of the
Department of Defense anytime, anywhere. Fleet Numerical recently began
operational support using an SGI Origin 3800 supercomputer suite. We also
face major challenges with data acquisition, assimilation and distribution
- a challenge being addressed this fiscal year. That is the
traditional Fleet Numerical. We have recognized that unlike the days of
the Cold War today's world poses scientific and technical challenges that
become increasingly complex daily. We are therefore preparing our team
to be leaning forward to affect change, not bracing to absorb its impact.
By encouraging and supporting innovative thinking and collaborative outreach
Fleet Numerical has become a nationally and internationally recognized
dynamic force in forecasting the environment and exploiting information
technology. The evolution of the non-traditional Fleet Numerical continues
to be an interesting story - as you will see!

Recent state
and federal legislation now require our marine resource agencies to adopt
a ecosystem-based approach to fisheries management, as well as the designation
and design of Marine Protected Areas. While these new initiatives will
require extensive information on the character and distribution of habitats
used by species of critical interest, acquiring and applying this information
effectively and economically presents one of the greatest challenges facing
our agencies. Here I will give examples of how multimedia integration
of acoustic remote sensing, ROV video, GIS processing and 3D simulations
can and are being used to address these issues.